Apparatus for making sand molds

ABSTRACT

A machine for making sand molds having a pair of vertically reciprocable mold chambers, a horizontally guided reciprocable pattern carrier movable into and out of the space between the mold chambers, and one plate each in the mold chambers, which are vertically movable within the respective mold chamber independently of the movement of the mold chamber for expelling the finished mold from the mold chambers.

United States Patent [191 Larkin [451 Sept. 25, 1973 APPARATUS FORMAKING SAND MOLDS [76] Inventor: Sam Larkin, 254 Beach 140th St.,

Belle Harbor, NY.

[22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 171,535

U.S. Cl 164/200, l64/207, 164/213 Int. Cl. B22c 15/28 Field of Search164/200, 190, 201, 164/131, 188, 191, 198, 401-404, 202-229, 29, 30,37-40, 187, 160, 172, 173, 180, 182; 249/74 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1/1971 Buhler 164/182 X 10/1911 Duncan 164/212 6/1912Monahan el al 164/213 4/1923 MacNeill 164/211 2,008,725 7/1935 Parker249/74 2,672,664 3/1954 Sudziarski.... 164/207 X 2,867,870 l/l959 Hines164/29 3,107,402 10/1963 Hunter 164/201 X 3,431,968 3/1969Eichenberger... 164/207 X 3,609,799 10/1971 Lee 249/74 X PrimaryExaminerJ. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner.lohn S. Brown ArtomeyRobert Osann et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A machine for making sand molds having a pair ofvertically reciprocable mold chambers, a horizontally guidedreciprocable pattern carrier movable into and out of the space betweenthe mold chambers, and one plate each in the mold chambers, which arevertically movable within the respective mold chamber independently ofthe movement ofthe mold chamber for expelling the finished mold from themold chambers.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEPZS I973 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR54M l/IR/f/A/ PAIENTEnsms'mn SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENTOR. 5AM Mew/v APPARATUSFOR MAKING SAND MOLDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to an apparatus for making sand molds, and more specifically isconcerned with an apparatus of this type which is adapted for automaticoperation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus formaking sand molds which is simpler in design and operation, and lower incost than heretofore known apparatus for making sand molds.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for making sand molds, which achieves the production of sandmolds in a considerably reduced numbers of steps compared to heretoforeknown such apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus for making molds, inaccordance with the present invention, in its starting position;

FIG. 2 is a section similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing the machineduring the process of blowing sand into the closed mold chambers;

FIG. 3 illustrates the apparatus according to FIGS. 1 and 2 duringcompacting of the sand within the closed mold chambers;

' FIG. 4 is a section similar to those of FIGS. 1 to 3, but showing themachine during removal of the pattern carrier from the separated moldhalves;

FIG. 5 shows the machine in a position in which the two previouslyseparated mold halves have been placed upon each other;

FIG. 6 illustrates the operating step following that illustrated in FIG.5, in which the two mold halves, placed upon each other, are beingremoved from the mold making machine;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawing in detail, the apparatus shown therein comprises a machine frame2 with a top supporting beam 4 and a bottom supporting beam 6. Top andbottom beams 4 and 6 have respectively connected thereto hydrauliccylinder piston systems 8 and 10, with pistons 12 and 14 respectively.Piston 12 has connected thereto a rectangular supporting plate 16 whichin turn has extending therefrom four support rods or beams 18,respectively placed adjacent the corners of the rectangular plate 16.Beams or rods 18 have suspended therefrom a box-like structure 20confining a chamber 22, for a purpose to be described later.

Similarly, piston 14 supports a rectangular plate 24 carrying four beamsor rods 26 which have connected thereto a box-like structure 28confining a chamber 30.

Chambers 22 and 30 have provided therein plates 32 and 34 respectively:Plate 32 may be actuated by two cylinder piston systems 36 and 38,extending with pistons 40 and 42 through the bottom wall 44 of box 20,for a purpose to be described later. Similarly, plate 34 is operativelyconnected to two cylinder piston systems 46 and 48, via pistons 50 and52 extending through connecting wall 54 joining side walls 28' ofbox-like structure 28.

The machine frame 2 is provided with two grooved guide rails 56 and 58(See FIGS. 1 and 7), on opposite sides of the machine frame for guidingand carrying in the grooves 60 and 62 thereof a pattern carrier 64 whichisreciprocable in the grooves 60, 62 by means of a cylinder pistonsystem 66. Carrier 64 has mounted thereon patterns 68 and 70.

OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS At the start of the machine cycle, theapparatus is in the position shown in FIG. 1 in which the two box-likestructures 20 and 28 are spaced apart and the pattern carrier 64 iscentered therebetween. Thereupon, the cylinder piston systems 8 and 10are actuated, thereby respectively lowering and lifting the boxes 20 and28 so that the patterns 68 and 70 are received within chambers 22 and30, respectively. From a source not shown in the drawing, molding sandis blown through flexible hoses 72 and 74 into the chambers 22 and 30(FIG. 2). Air within the chambers may escape through a series of ventingholes diagrammatically illustrated at 73, which are small enough toprevent sand from leaving the chambers. It is to be understood that theshowing of flexible hoses 72 and 74 is diagrammatic only and that thesehoses may be introduced into the chambers at any convenient location, inorder not to interfere with the operation of the machine. Of course,also a plurality of such sand introducing hoses may be provided at eachchamber 22,30.

Subsequent to the introduction of sand into the chambers 22 and 30, thesand is compacted around the patterns 68 and 70 by further actuation ofthe cylinder piston systems 8 and 10, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

In a subsequent operating step, illustrated in FIG. 4, the cylinderpiston systems 8 and 10 move boxes 20 and 28 apart to permit removal ofpattern carrier 64 with patterns 68 and 70 from the space between thechambers 22 and 30, in the direction of arrow 76, by means of cylinderpiston system 66.

Thereupon, the cylinder piston systems 46 and 48 are actuated to moveplate 34 with mold half thereon out of chamber 30. Also, cylinder pistonsystem 8 for moving box 20 is actuated in downward direction, andindependently thereof the cylinder piston systems 36,38 for moving plate32 are actuated as shown in FIG. 5. In this manner, upper mold half 78is freed from chamber 22 and deposited on mold half 80.

In a subsequent operation, cylinder piston system 8 is actuated to movebox 20 upwardly into the position illustrated in FIG. 6. As also shownin FIG. 6, plate 32 is moved upwardly. Thus, the upper half of theapparatus, comprising chamber 20, plate 32 and the cylinder pistonsystem 8, and 36,38 associated therewith, occupy their FIG. 1 startingpositions. The top of plate 34 is approximately level with a table 82and beneath the lowest point of pattern 70. This permits the cylinderpiston system 66 to move the carrier 64 to the left into contact withthe sand mold halves 78 and 80 and thereafter to move the latter bymeans of the carrier 64 onto the table 82, without interferring withplate 34. Thereafter, carrier 64 is moved back to the central positionillustrated in FIG. 1, plate 34 is lowered to the position adjacentbottom wall 54 of box 28, as likewise shown in FIG. 1, and the machineisready for a new cycle of operation.

One of the major problems that has been solved by the arrangementaccording to thepresent invention is the relatively easy removal of themold halves from the mold chambers 22 and 30 by the provision of plates32 and 34 within the chambers. By slightly tapering the walls of themold chamber, this process can be further facilitated.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of thepattern carrier 64 in substantially horizontally extending grooves, andthe use of the pattern carrier for moving the finished mold out of themachine.

These and other features of the apparatus, as evident from the precedingdescription, yield a sand molding machine that is simple to operate,efficient in operation requiring a reduced number of operating steps toproduce a sand mold.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificexample illustrated in the drawing and described above, but comprisesany modification within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for making sand molds comprising: two mold chambermeans, each having side walls and a connecting wall; a chamber in eachof said mold chamber means being defined by inner surfaces of said sidewalls and said connecting wall and with each of said chambers being openopposite the inner surface of each respective connecting wall; firstfluid motor means for moving said mold chamber means toward and awayfrom each other in a first plane; plate means respectively reciprocablymounted in said mold chamber means; pattern carrier means movablesubstantially only in a second plane transverse to said first plane,from a first position remote from said mold chamber means to a secondposition between said mold chamber means; said pattern carrier having aside wall configuration on each side thereof conforming to the sidewalls of said mold chamber means and the side walls of said patterncarriage being spaced apart respectively slightly less than the spacingbetween the side walls of said mold chamber means, said side walls oneach side of said pattern carrier in said second position being receivedwithin the side walls of said two mold chamber means with at least aportion thereof being confined within the enclosing side walls of saidtwo mold chamber means; said mold chamber means in the second positionbeing disposed in spaced relationship to each other in the first plane;means associated with each of said mold chamber means and adapted tointroduce mold sand into the confined spaces between said patterncarrier means and said respective plate means in said mold chamber meanswhen said pattern carrier means is in said second position; said firstfluid motor means being adapted to compress mold sand introduced intosaid confined spaces around said pattern carrier means when the latteris in said second position and said plate means are fixed in a positionadjacent the surfaces of the respective connecting walls; said fluidmotor means moving said mold chamber means, along with the plates intheir fixed positions, toward each other, and from said second positionto another position where said mold chamber means are closer to eachother, but are still in spaced relationship, so as to form a sand mold;and second fluid motor means operable independently of said first fluidmotor means and connected to said plate means in said mold chamber meansand adapted to move said plate means from a position adjacent thesurface of the respective connecting walls towards the open end of saidrespective mold chamber means in order to displace the sand mold fromsaid mold chamber means when said pattern carrier means is in saidsecond position.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pattern carrier meansis guided and supported in grooves.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two second fluid motormeans are connected to each plate means.

1. An apparatus for making sand molds comprising: two mold chambermeans, each having side walls and a connecting wall; a chamber in eachof said mold chamber means being defined by inner surfaces of said sidewalls and said connecting wall and with each of said chambers being openopposite the inner surface of each respective connecting wall; firstfluid motor means for moving said mold chamber means toward and awayfrom each other in a first plane; plate means respectively reciprocablymounted in said mold chamber means; pattern carrier means movablesubstantially only in a second plane transverse to said first plane,from a first position remote from said mold chamber means to a secondposition between said mold chamber means; said pattern carrier having aside wall configuration on each side thereof conforming to the sidewalls of said mold chamber means and the side walls of said patterncarriage being spaced apart respectively slightly less than the spacingbetween the side walls of said mold chamber means, said side walls oneach side of said pattern carrier in said second position being receivedwithin the side walls of said two mold chamber means with at least aportion thereof being confined within the enclosing side walls of saidtwo mold chamber means; said mold chamber means in the second positionbeing disposed in spaced relationship to each other in the first plane;means associated with each of said mold chamber means and adapted tointroduce mold sand into the confined spaces between said patterncarrier means and said respective plate means in said mold chamber meanswhen said pattern carrier means is in said second position; said firstfluid motor means being adapted to compress mold sand introduced intosaid confined spaces around said pattern carrier means when the latteris in said second position and said plate means are fixed in a positionadjacent the surfaces of the respective connecting walls; said fluidmotor means moving said mold chamber means, along with the plates intheir fixed positions, toward each other, and from said second positionto another position where said mold chamber means are closer to eachother, but are still in spaced relationship, so as to form a sand mold;and second fluid motor means operable independently of said first fluidmotor means and connected to said plate means in said mold chamber meansand adapted to move said plate means from a position adjacent thesurface of the respective connecting walls towards the open end of saidrespective mold chamber means in order to displace the sand mold fromsaid mold chamber means when said pattern carrier means is in saidsecond position.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidpattern carrier means is guided and supported in grooves.
 3. Anapparatus according to claim 1, wherein two second fluid motor means areconnected to each plate means.